— For Lloyd Williams, it’s one-and-done at Muskogee High School.

Williams ended a month of speculation as to his future when he resigned Thursday as head boys basketball coach at MHS, speculation that started after his wife’s acceptance of the head women’s basketball coaching job at the University of South Dakota.

Muskogee superintendent Mike Garde said he heard from Williams on Thursday and was expecting a letter of resignation, though the job has already been posted.

“He made a choice a father should,” Garde said. “His family needs him.”

Williams was not immediately available for comment.

His wife Amy, formerly the head coach at Rogers State University, took the South Dakota job in June. Williams, who previously coached the men’s team at Rogers State, posted an 8-15 season at MHS in what was a major rebuilding year with the loss of the top eight players, all seniors, from the end of a three-year run that produced two state tournament teams.

Point guard David Beasley, one of three who started as sophomores last season, said Williams told him as late as Monday that he was staying.

“Move on, that’s all we can do,”  said Beasley, who averaged 17 points last season.

Although the timing is unusually late in terms of personnel changes, Garde said the selection process has the advantage of a jump-start.

“When word got out that his wife had taken her job, we got three applicants in anticipation this would happen,” he said.

One had high school head coaching experience, another hailed from the college ranks, Garde said. He could not recall at the time what the other applicant’s background was.

“I wouldn’t rule out anything at this point,” Garde said.

Potential applicants include all four of Williams’ assistants – Darnel Hale, David Qualls, Spencer Schrupp and Aldric Reynolds. Hale was the only one of the group that was certified and holding  teaching position in the district, as a PE instructor at Cherokee Elementary.

Reached on the road in Kansas on Friday, Hale said he might apply.

“I just heard about it today so it’s something I’m going to sit down with my wife and discuss first,” said Hale, a former high school player at Union.

Terry Scott, who led the Roughers to two state tournaments in four seasons, has since retired from his administrative position and underwent surgery after an injury playing volleyball.

None of the other assistants, nor Scott, could be reached for comment.